Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing
service if you need to have your disabled vehicle
towed. SeeRoadside Assistance Program on
page 542.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another
vehicle for recreational purposes (such as behind
a motorhome), see “Recreational Vehicle
Towing” following.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Recreational vehicle towing means towing your
vehicle behind another vehicle – such as behind a
motorhome. The two most common types of
recreational vehicle towing are known as “dinghy
towing” (towing your vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground) and “dolly towing” (towing
your vehicle with two wheels on the ground and
two wheels up on a device known as a “dolly”).With the proper preparation and equipment, many
vehicles can be towed in these ways. See “Dinghy
Towing” and “Dolly Towing,” following.
Here are some important things to consider before
you do recreational vehicle towing:
What’s the towing capacity of the towing
vehicle? Be sure you read the tow vehicle
manufacturer’s recommendations.
How far will you tow? Some vehicles have
restrictions on how far and how long they
can tow.
Do you have the proper towing equipment?
See your dealer or trailering professional
for additional advice and equipment
recommendations.
Is your vehicle ready to be towed? Just as
you would prepare your vehicle for a long
trip, you’ll want to make sure your vehicle is
prepared to be towed. SeeBefore Leaving on
a Long Trip on page 349.
369
Dinghy Towing
Use the following procedure to tow your vehicle:
1. Shift the transmission to PARK (P).
2. Turn the engine off, but leave the ignition in
ACCESSORY.
3. Firmly set the parking brake.
4. Securely attach the vehicle being towed to the
tow vehicle.
{CAUTION:
Shifting a full-time four-wheel-drive
vehicle’s transfer case into NEUTRAL can
cause your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in PARK (P). You or others
could be injured. Make sure the parking
brake is rmly set before you shift the
transfer case to NEUTRAL.
5. Shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL (N).
SeeFull-Time Four-Wheel Drive on
page 128for the proper procedure to select
the NEUTRAL position for your vehicle.6. Release the parking brake only after the
vehicle being towed is rmly attached to
the towing vehicle. You can use your vehicle’s
front mounted receiver with the proper
accessories to tow it. See “Front Mounted
Receiver” underIf Your Vehicle is Stuck
in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 357.
7. Turn the ignition to ACCESSORY.
8. Disconnect the battery if you are going to tow
for long distances or long periods of time.
When towing your vehicle for extended periods of
time, start your vehicle as often as possible to
prevent battery drain. This should only be
done when the tow vehicle is parked.
Dolly Towing
Your vehicle cannot be dolly towed. If you must
tow your vehicle behind another, use the
dinghy towing procedure listed previously.
Notice:Dolly towing your vehicle will damage
drivetrain components. Do not dolly tow
your vehicle.
370